TV paints unrealistic idea of remodel time

Jennifer Adams, Special to the U-T

Jennifer Adams

Jennifer Adams

Jennifer Adams

Q: We’ve been saving for three years and finally have enough to remodel our kitchen! My contractor says it will take two to three months. I went from very excited to now feeling a little let down. I watch all the design shows on TV and they get major remodels finished in just a couple of days. Some even get it done while you’re at dinner. What is a realistic time frame?

Deanna

A: I also love watching design shows! And, having been on HGTV, “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and Hallmark Channel’s “The Better Show” myself, I’ll share some inside secrets. Unfortunately, it won’t help your time frame get shorter.

Behind the scenes, these shows have so many people swarming all over the houses being remodeled. And, they work around the clock! Each person has a carefully orchestrated job, the decisions are made long before starting, and all the materials are pre-ordered and staged on site. It’s quite a production and amazing to be a part of.

On screen, however, you won’t see that army. And, through the magic of editing, what might seem to be a couple days may be two or three weeks. There might even be a few tasks the team finishes after the shooting stops!

In real life, most licensed contractors have a team of just two or three people, if that, plus their subcontractors. Add up the labor done by an army in three weeks, and that can easily turn into several months when done by a smaller team. It will help if you’re organized and plan ahead with your decisions, however.

And, each project is different. Even if your kitchen remodel is just replacing the cabinets, appliances, finishes and flooring, there could be unknown problems that require fixing or working around.

Living through any remodel, particularly a kitchen, is hard. But patience will pay off when you get your own big reveal. Let me know how it goes and send pictures!